Portable loom creel and adjusting means therefor



March 2, 1948. L. BRYANT PORTABLE LOOM CREELAND ADJUSTING MEANS THEREFOR Filed July 26, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet l March 2, 1948. 1.. E. BRYANT PORTABLE LOOM CREEL AND ADJUSTING MEANS THEREFOR Filed July 26, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 March 2, 1948. L. E. BRYANT 2,437,070

PORTABLE LOOM CREEL AND ADJUSTING MEANS THEREFOR Filed July 26, 1945 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 PW wN NW 6.3K

Patented Mar. 2, 1948 ron'r mm LOOM CREEL AND ADJUSTING MEANS THEREFOR Leslie E. Bryant, Auburn, N. Y., assignor toNye- Walt Company, Inc., Auburn, N. Y., a corporation of New York pplication July 2c, 1945, Serlal No. ,7

This invention appertains to loom creels, and more especially to portable loom creels for use with any type of loom where the employment of the creel method of delivering yarns to the loom is applicable in the weaving of either plain or figured fabrics.

The most common type of creel heretofore used in the weaving of rugs, carpets and similar pile fabrics, is of the stationary, fiat type, having the form of a horizontal or slightly inclined frame or tray divided into a plurality of compartments, each of a size to receive a yarn spool therein. The yarn spools are disposed in the respective compartments, with the axis of each spool arranged horizontally. The spools are supported in this position by the spool heads at the opposite ends of each spool, which rest on the bottom of the respective compartments and are free to turn as the yarn is drawn from the spools into the loom. Thus, the tension on the yarns depends upon the frictional drag of the respective spool heads against the bottom of the creel frame, and

this tension is usually supplemented by the use of U-shaped tension weights which are placed in an inverted position on the respective yarns so as to be freely suspended therefrom.

The spool heads have a great tendency to become warped, chipped, or otherwise irregular in shape, which invariably results in uneven tension on the yarns, and also results in a reduction of the quality of the woven fabric, as well as in the efficiency of loom operation.

In the use of these conventional stationary, fiat creels, considerable time is lost in loom operation, and hence the cost of production is greatly increased, when the yarns run out so as to require replacement of the spools, and particularly, when a change of yarn color is required. In the latter case, the loom must be stopped while the operator removes the U-shaped tension weight from each yarn, cuts ofi the yarns, winds back by hand the extended end from each spool, removes each spool from the creel frame, replaces the spools with spools of the new yarn colors and ties the ends of the yarns to the ends in the loom, and places the tension weights back on each yarn.

The present invention has for its primary obfeet the provislon'of a portable creel which can be loaded at a central preparation point and delivered to the loom, or quickly moved from one loom to another, all filled, with the yarns threaded through the tensions and guides and ready to be tied to the ends in the loom, thereby minimizing time lost in the operation of the loom.

A further object of the invention is to provide 4 Claims. (Cl. 139-97) a portable creel in which-yarn packages, either on spools or on less expensive plugs, may be supported in vertical rows, one behind the other, at opposite sides of the creel so as to be readily accessible and convenient for loading and unloading, and which will accommodate yarn spools or packages of considerably greater size than heretofore used in creels of the fiat type.

Another object of the invention is to provide a creel having improved tension means for the yarns, and which insures a more positive and uniform tension in each yarn.

The invention additionally contemplates the provision of an adjustable anchor or holding means for portable creels, serving to regulate or adjust the position of the creel relative to the end of the loom and which can be employed to quickly and easily release the yarn tension at will, or to restore the tension in the yarns following an unweaving operation which sometimes has to be performed in the course of weaving the fabric.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will be hereinafter described and the novel features thereof defined by the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic, fragmentary top plan view on a reduced scale, showing a plurality of portable creels constructed in accordance with the present invention, said creels serving to deliver yarns to the rear end of a loom;

Figure2 is a view in front elevation of one of the portable loom creels;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary top plan view of the creel;

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view taken through the creel, and particularly illustrating the manner in which the yarn packages are supported therein, with the yarns threaded through the tension means and guides;

Figure 5 is a detail view in perspective of a yarn package brake assembly, and further illustrating the manner of mounting said assembly on the creel frame;

Figure 6 is a perspective detail view of a yarn Like reference characters designate correspending parts in theseveral figures of the drawings, wherein i in Figure 1,-denotes a loom of any suitable type and preferably equipped at its rear end with an open-top comb or spreader 2 for receiving the yarns 3 delivered to the loom from one or more creels generally designated 4. From the spreader 2, the yarns may be directed over suitable guide rolls and the tension equalizing roll designated 5, as more particularly described in the application of Harold H, Fonda, Serial No. 607,227, filed of even date herewith.

The creels 4 are-preferably constructed as separate portable units of predetermined width, according to the width of the loom with which the creels are to be used, and each creel is designed to handle suflicient yarns for a predetermined unit of width of the fabric. For example, rugs and carpets are commonly made in standard widths of 2' 3", 3, 9, 12', 15' and 18'. Therefore, each creel would be preferably constructed to handle a sufficient number of yarns for the 2' 3" and 3' widths, so that for the wider widths, the number of creel units may be multiplied accordingly.

Referring to Figures 2 to 4 inclusive, it will be seen that each creel unit includes four upright corner posts, respectively designated 6, these corner posts being preferably of tubular form. Joining the top ends of the corner posts are frame members 1 extending transversely across the creel at the front and back ends respectively thereof, and the frame members 8 extending longitudinally from front to back at each side of the creel. These frame members preferably have the form of angle bars. The bottom ends of the standards or corner posts 6 are joined at the front and back ends of the creel respectively, by

transversely extended base plates 9. Swivelly at-' wheeled casters Ill, there being one caster for each corner of the creel, located below the respective corner posts 6. At the front end of the creel and extending transversely thereacross is a brace I I, said brace being inclined downwardly from the outer corners of the front base plate 9 to about the center of the creel, at which point the brace is substantially spaced below the base plate 9'. Disposed between the central spaced portion of the brace II and the front base plate 9, and extending longitudinally from front to back of the creel frame, is a channel member I2 which serves as a rigid support to which a series of upright angle bars l3 are attached at their lower ends, one behind the other in longitudinally spaced alinement at the center of the creel. These angle bars 13 extend upwardly to the top of the creel and are joined at vertically spaced intervals by longitudinally extended, vertically spaced angle bars l4.

Attached to the forward side of each of the upright bars l3, and arranged in vertical rows, is a. plurality of transversely extended spindles l5. Each spindle may be secured to the upright bar l3 by welding the same at its mid portion to the bar, so that each spindle extends transversely for a substantial distance beyond the opposite sides of the uprights l3 so that it may receive on each end thereof a yarn package IS, with the yarn wound upon either a spool, or on a plug H. In order to prevent inadvertent displacement of the yarn packages from the spindles I5, there is preferably provided a spring-pressed, hinged latch member l8 at each end of each spindle. BY swinging the latches into a horizontal position, coextensive with the spindle, the yarn packages may be slipped onto or removed from the spindies, whereas, by swinging the latches to a vertical position, the yarn packages are positively restrained against axial displacement from the spindle. I

Rockably mounted on each spindle and coacting with each yarn package is a loop-forming and tension member generally designated Hi, there being two of these members on each spindle, one at each side of the vertical standard l3 to which the respective spindles are attached. These loopforming and tension members 19 each include a hub 20 loosely journaled on the spindle so as to be free to turn thereon. Extending radially from the hub 20 and integrally formed therewith is a short arm 2| from which is laterally extended a.

long arm 22, as best seen in Figure 6 of the drawings. The yarns 3 from the respective yarn packages are led under the arms 22 of the respective yarn looping and tension members so as to form a loop in each yarn, as indicated at 23 in Figure 4.

From the yarn looping and tension members IS, the respective yarns are directed upwardly over a guide pin 24, these guide pins being secured in any suitable manner, as by welding, to the horizontal bars l4, and extending laterally for a substantial distance to each side thereof in parallel spaced relation to the arms 22 of the respective yarn looping and tension members Id. The guide pins 24 for the respective'yarn packages are located somewhat above the spindles l5 and in forwardly spaced relation to the vertical axis of the yarn package. From the guide pins 24, the yarns 3 are directed forwardly to the front end of the creel, at which end there is provided a plurality of vertically spaced angle bars 25 which are attached to the forward upright bar [3 so as to extend horizontally to opposite sides thereof. Each bar 25 is provided on its upper side with a plurality of laterally spaced eyelets or pig-tail yarn guides 26' through which the yarns 3 are extended so as to be delivered to the loom from the front end of the creel in a regularly spaced fashion.

In order to prevent excessive rotation of the yarn packages as the yarns are delivered from thecreel to the loom, a brake is applied to each yarn by means of a weight having the form of a paddle designated 21, with the paddles resting upon the upper side of the respective yarn packages. Each paddle is provided with a hub portion 28 which is loosely journaled on the guide pin 24', and the paddle weights are suitably spaced on the guide pins and relative to the frame member M in any suitable manner, as by spacing sleeves 29 and 30 locatedon opposite sides of the frame members i4. With the paddle weights 2'! located ing action or drag upon the respective yam packages, and as the yarn packages are used up, the

paddle weights will rock on the supporting guide pins 24 so as to always exert a constant and uniform pressure against the yarn package, and create a tension in each yarn. This tension causes the loop-forming and tension member Hi to be lifted so that each arm 22 will be suspended in the respective yarn loops 23 as the yarns are ploy an adjustable anchor for taken up in the loom. Thus, the arms 22 may be said to float in the yarn loops 23, so that the weight of these arms -22 is always acting upon the yarns tending to form the loops 23, while maintaining the yarns under tension. As the yarn is taken up by the loom, the loops 23 will be progressively shortened,,thereby progressively lifting the arms 22 in an upward direction, until a certain point in the yarn delivering operation is reached, which usually occurs-at the completion of a cycle of the loom, whereupon the pressure of the paddle weights 2'! on the yarn packages is overcome. At that time the yarn packages will unwind so as to deliver more yarn, and the arms 22 of the loop-forming and tension members ill will automatically reform the loops 23 preliminary to another cycle of the loom operation. In forming the loops 23, the arms 22 of the respective loop-forming and tension members is will rock in a downward direction until their movement is limited by the abutment lugs 20 formed at the juncture of the short arms 2i and the hubs 20. These stop lugs 20 are so located as to abut against the vertical supporting standards l3, as clearly shown in Figure '7 of the drawings, in which one of the members I9 is illustrated in its normal loop-forming position.

It will be seen from reference to Figure 1 of the drawings that the creels 4 are positioned in parallel and/ or tandem relation to each other at a suitable distance in back of the loom l, and since the creels are provided with wheels or casters ill, it is necessary to anchor the creels in order to prevent them from being drawn forwardly towards the loom. To this end, 1 preferably emeach creel havin the form of a jack generally designated 33, said jack being suitably fastened to the floor at one end and havin abutting engagement with the front end of the creel. The jack may be of any suitable type, as for example, mechanical, pneumatic, or hydraulic, although I prefer to employ a hydraulic jack which permits easier adjustment of the creels, and when the adjustment has been effected, allows the jack to be slowly restored to its initial or starting position under the influence of the pull on the yarns, and without interfering with the normal yarn tension.

According to the arrangement illustrated in the drawings, the jack has the form of a conventional hydraulic automobile bumper jack, as made by a prominent manufacturer. Instead of operating in the conventional vertical position, the jack is turned on its side so as to operate horizontally, and its base 34 is attached to the forward end of a channel member 35 which is suitably bolted to the floor at the desired distance in the rear of the loom I. The hydraulic cylinder 36 at the opposite end of the jack rests upon the floor and is free to move thereon when the jack is operated so as to move the rack bar 31 forwardly and rearwardly. Attached to the opposite sides of the usual lift-bracket with which the jack is conventionally equipped to adjustably cooperate with the rack bar 31, is a pair of upwardly extended short angle bars 38, 38, which are disposed in vertical position and laterally spaced from each other so as to engage at their upper ends the forward edge of the front brace I! when the creel is moved over the jack into abutting engagement with the members 38, 38, as shown in Figures 2 and 4 of the drawings. Thereafter, by manipulating the jack handle 39, the creel can be easily and quickly forced backwards to a position which establishes the desired tension in the yarns 3, when the latter have been tied to the yarn ends in the loom. By providing a, separate jack for each creel unit, the creels may be individually adjusted relative to each other in endwise relation to the loom, and the position of the jacks themselves locates the creels in proper spaced relation to each other crosswise of the loom. Longitudinal alinement of the creels relative to the loom is permitted by shifting the rear ends of the creels laterally in either direction, without disturbing the jack adjustment.

In case thejacks have been adjusted to their extreme limits rearwardly, or in any case following a rearward adjustment of the creels, especially when the yarn tensions have been restored following a release produced by an unweaving of the fabric, as sometimes is required, the release valve 40 on the hydraulic cylinder 36 of the jack may be cracked open slightlyso as to allow the jack, together with the creel, to be pulled forwardly by the draw of the loom, as the weaving operation continues, thereby restoring the jack to its initial position at the forward limit of its adjustment. When the jack has been so restored, it is always ready for a subsequent adjustment of the creels rearwardly, simply by closing the valve 40 and manipulating the jackhandle 39 as previously described. Through the use of the jacks, the creels are never fixed in a rigid position as in the case of conventional creels of the fiat type, and thus there is provided a freedom of operation and alinement which is not inherent in the former creels.

Through the use of creels of the type of the present invention, it will be obvious that a greater I flexibility of weaving to consumer specifications is afforded, since yarn colors may be more quickly changed by the substitution of creels loaded with yarns of the required colors, all ready to be tied into the loom, and without serious interruption in the operation of the loom. Moreover, fewer. changes of yarn are necessary because the creels will accommodate yarn packages of as much as three times the size of the yarn packages used in former creels, and the preparation of the creels can be done by lesser skilled and lower paidemployees lnstead of the more highly skilled and higher paid loom operators. 'In the case where orders call for matching colors in several loom widths, my portable creel can be out out from.

one width of loomand quickly transported and tied into another width without appreciable loss of time, and the creels may be routed to take care of several orders involving part or all of the widths covered by one order, and permit combinations to be effected so as to provide the most economical operation of the looms.

While the specific details have been herein shown and described, the invention is not confined thereto as changes and alterations may be made without departing from the spirit thereof as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A portable loom creel comprising a. wheeled frame having means for rotatably supporting a plurality of yarn packages, in combination with jack means for anchoring the creel against movement in the direction of delivery of the yarns from the yarn packages, said jack means being fixedly anchored at one end and having an adjustably movable part for abutting engagement with the creel.

2. In combination with a 100111. of a portable loom creel disposed at the rear of the loom in spaced relation thereto for delivering yarns to rest, for adjusting the spacing between the loom and the creel.

4. In combination with a loom, of a portable loom creel disposed at the rear of the loom in spaced relation thereto for delivering yarnsto the loom, and hydraulic Jack means fixed at one end and having a movable part for abutting engagement with the creel, for adjusting the spacing between the loom and the creel. said jack means having pressure releasing means operable at will to permit limited movement of the creel towards the loom by the draw of the loom.

LESLIE E. BRYANT.

REFERENCES crrnn UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 674,149 Wood May 14, 1901 710,458 Horlacher Oct, 7, 1902 1,234,693 Remington July 24, 1917 1,312,847 Hirst Aug. 12, 1919 1,377,052 Black May 3, 1921 1,423,427 Jansen Jul 18, 1922 1,462,487 De Vry July 24, 1923 1,523,878 Kelly Jan. 20, 1925 2,143,481 Hall Jan. 10, 1939 2,287,117 Montalto June 23, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 233,469 Great Britain May 14, 1925 490,696 Great Britain Aug, 19, 1938 594,095 France June 13, 1925 

